On a Saturday afternoon in the summer of 1965, Congressman (and future Lieutenant Governor) Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum devised a new game for their families at Pritchard's summer cabin on Bainbridge Island.  Combining elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, pickleball is played with a paddle and a plastic ball similar to a wiffle ball.  Pritchard, Bell, and McCallum intended for the game to be enjoyed by persons of all ages and skill levels.  Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles.

Today, the national governing body for pickleball, USA Pickleball, has approximately 40,000 registered members and estimates that over 4 million people play pickleball at nearly 8500 locations nationally, while the International Federation of Pickleball counts 67 member countries.

Pickleball is designated as the official state sport.